


keep it on the low

by sunshyun



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Kissing, M/M, Truth or Dare, pinning but make it dumb, the "oh nooo i like my best friend" kinda story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:08:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26193175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunshyun/pseuds/sunshyun
Summary: "are you suggesting," renjun sighs, like it physically pains him to form the next words that would finish his own question, "that mark lee, our mark lee, is some kind of sex demon?""yes? that would explain his reputation, you know, and also why i can't stop thinking about that damn kiss," donghyuck whines.“what reputation? you’ve slept with more people than him.”(or: donghyuck being gay and dumb).
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee
Comments: 48
Kudos: 673





	keep it on the low

**Author's Note:**

> once again, thank you [lili](https://twitter.com/shiny_hoshi_) for your help, you're the best :')
> 
> for [ml](https://twitter.com/marklystars) ♡

it starts with mark kissing him.

donghyuck never thought he would find himself in this situation, kissing mark lee back as the older places one of his hands at the back of donghyuck's head. mark's lips are really soft, and there's a hint of vanilla in them, probably a result of the lip balm that the older always carries with him. it’s in a tiny yellow jar, with a drawing of a sheep that has nothing to do with the vanilla scent, but donghyuck finds it cute nevertheless. still, donghyuck teases mark about it every time the other pulls it out of his pocket and takes a small amount of the balm with his fingers to apply it later on his lips. it’s weird to think that those are the same lips that are now against his own, the last place donghyuck expected them to be tonight if he's being honest.

mark's a good kisser, which doesn’t really come as a surprise. he's incredibly talented in both his academic life and the sports field so donghyuck thinks it’s only natural that he can kiss really well too. what did surprise donghyuck was the delicacy mark treated him with, asking him if he was comfortable with what was about to happen before leaning in. donghyuck felt warmth spreading across his face after mark's question - his cheeks flush very easily, getting a subtle pink hue over them. mark's called him cute more than once because of it, but donghyuck can’t tell if he actually means it or if it’s just teasing -, so he quickly closed his eyes and nodded to get it over with.

by the time donghyuck felt mark’s breathing over his lips he was already starting to feel a bit dizzy, but he blamed the alcohol, and more importantly, he blamed na jaemin for making him do some shots with him when they arrived at the party. then mark pressed his lips together, starting with some small kisses, pecking donghyuck's lips carefully, testing the waters. when donghyuck kissed back he noticed mark's body relaxing close to his. that's when mark had deepened the kiss and how donghyuck finds himself now trembling when he feels mark's teeth grazing his lower lip. he unconsciously scoots closer to him on the armchair, putting his hands on mark's shoulder to steady himself and trying not to dwell on the fact that apparently mark likes to bite when he's kissing. it’s the kind of information one doesn’t expect to find out about one of his closest friends first-hand, but donghyuck won't complain either, it’s great because he can tease mark about it later. 

it's also hot, but then again, there are so many things about mark that are hot if donghyuck stops and reflects on it. the way mark looks while he's all focused in the middle of a game, with the weight of being the captain of the volleyball team over his shoulders. the fact that he can actually play the guitar quite well and sing, and also follow the rap parts of his favorite songs with no effort somehow. the sound of his voice when just woken up in donghyuck's bed after a movie night, combined with his bed-hair and his round glasses. that stupid shirt he sometimes brings when they all sleep over at chenle's that sticks to his body like a second layer of skin. donghyuck doesn’t know when his friend got abs but he’s pretty sure it has to be illegal for people like mark to have them. 

either way, donghyuck’s not going to complain about it, firstly because he definitely enjoys the view, and secondly because one of his hands has traveled all the way down from mark’s shoulder to his abdomen, and now donghyuck is feeling mark’s abs over the shirt. he’s starting to wonder if it’s maybe a bit too much when mark bites down on his lower lip again and donghyuck can't fight the moan that climbs up his throat to die on his friend's mouth. donghyuck doesn't have time to process how embarrassing the whole situation is and how hot the room has become -did someone turn the aircon off?- or what’s even worse, how much he liked it, because then mark's hand slips from his nape to his cheek right after the bite and he tilts donghyuck's head slightly to lean in even closer. donghyuck's hands move from mark's stomach to his thigh, and that's when mark finally makes a sound, a deep sigh that grazes donghyuck's lips and settles something in him -a warm feeling, grounding him to the moment, to what is happening,- that stops every trail of thought in donghyuck’s mind. there’s nothing to think about anyways when it comes to him and mark, it’s always been like that between them.

that’s why donghyuck parts his lips and welcomes mark's tongue with his own without a single second thought to it. it's simple, mark **'** s is kissing him, donghyuck is kissing mark back, and even though it was an unimaginable scene five minutes ago now there's a voice at the back of donghyuck's mind wondering why the hell didn't he kiss mark before.

still, it's not dangerous as the deeper voice asking him if he's going to kiss mark again after this.

"okay, enough," renjun laughs.

"yeah this is becoming r-rated somehow," jaemin agrees.

it takes a moment for donghyuck to remember what's going on, but when he finally does mark is already back to his original seat, and the cold air wakes donghyuck up from a dream he didn't know he was having. he locks eyes with renjun, who's sitting on the couch across the room, and his friend doesn't miss the chance to give donghyuck a look that's anything but subtle, eyebrows up and eyes flickering between him and mark which, for some reason, makes donghyuck feel out of breath all of a sudden. seeking escape donghyuck's eyes meet jeno's, who's holding up the bottle that's going to decide the next round of truth or dare.

"donghyuck," it’s mark’s voice, and for the first time donghyuck’s name coming out of his best friend's mouth sounds foreign. maybe it’s because there are traces of donghyuck on mark’s tongue, and maybe it shouldn’t be donghyuck’s name but his lips on mark’s mouth, getting a little bit more of that sweet taste. “are you okay?”

donghyuck turns and looks at his friend. mark's lips are a bit swollen, their usual shade of pink a bit darker, and donghyuck himself is surprised by the urge that takes over his body and prompts him to lean in again and keep ruining those lips. 

"yes," donghyuck lies, and it doesn't sound convincing even to himself. "why wouldn't i be?"

in fact, it turns him on to think that he did that to mark, that it was him and not one of his ex-girlfriends, not a random girl at a party either. there’s warmth piling up at the pit of donghyuck’s stomach as he starts thinking that if he’s able to make mark look like that after a ninety seconds kiss how would his best friend look if donghyuck really gets his hands on him?

"i don't know. it wasn't-, um, this isn't going to make things awkward between us, right?" 

"no," donghyuck answers too quickly. from the corner of his eyes he sees the bottle spinning once more and stopping on felix this time, then felix chooses truth and everyone starts screaming their favourite nosy questions. at this point though, donghyuck can't hear anything but his own heartbeat pulsating on his throat, and it even hurts when he speaks "it’s okay, mark."

。。。

  
  


it’s not okay.

"he could be an incubus."

it's not his own words what makes donghyuck regret having voiced out his opinion, it's the look renjun gives him from the other side of the couch. the older boy has bed hair from taking a quick nap earlier and his whole outfit -an oversized shirt and sweatpants- goes along with the fact that he's been writing a paper all day, stopping only when donghyuck brings him food and forces him to take a break and eat it. renjun shouldn't have the power to be intimidating in this situation yet he manages to be, he's been listening to donghyuck talk about wanting to kiss mark again since last friday so when donghyuck brings the whole thing up again the look in renjun’s eyes is definitely not friendly.

"are you suggesting," renjun sighs, like it physically pains him to form the next words that would finish his own question, "that mark lee, our mark lee, is some kind of sex demon?"

"yes? that would explain his reputation, you know, and also why i can't stop thinking about that damn kiss," donghyuck whines.

“what reputation? you’ve slept with more people than him.”

that is true. donghyuck is far from being a virgin, but in his defense so is mark. it’s just that donghyuck’s never given much thought to the idea of mark having sex before that weekend. sure, they've talked about sex in a couple of occasions, but the topic was always brought up by someone else and he and mark would mostly listen. now donghyuck remembers last year when the volleyball captain had surprised his entire group of friends by having some one night stands after his breakup with mina. before that donghyuck is sure mark had only had sex with his girlfriends, because he had teased mark about it, however the jokes donghyuck made died when the rumours about how good mark was in bed were born. donghyuck's heard almost every one of them but it's not until now that he's starting to recall them. back then donghyuck didn’t really listen, he was very busy thinking of new ways of making mark's ears turn red.

“i don’t know, i once heard the girls saying that he’s big?”

“donghyuck!” renjun half-laughs and half-screams, and oh, it surely must be funny to him, seeing donghyuck losing his mind like that. “i love you, but we’re not going to talk about mark’s size.”

“why not?” he pushes, trying to sound as nonchalant as one can when he’s trying to talk about his best friend’s dick. “we’re all friends. and we talk about jeno’s abs all the time.”

it’s not like donghyuck is obsessed. he would say he's just mildly intrigued. after having had a taste of mark, of his lips over his, his tongue in his mouth, it’s only natural that he finds himself wondering at night how would mark's lips feel somewhere else, maybe on his neck and on his chest, or how would mark sound like when he's the one feeling pleasure, right?

god, would mark bite his thighs?

“abs and dicks are not the same, donghyuck. i shouldn’t even have to say this, you’re not _that_ dumb.”

oh but he is, apparently. mark lee makes donghyuck really dumb.

“whatever,” donghyuck clicks his tongue. that trail of thought is really annoying and it's been on his mind since mark went through with jaemin's dare and made out with him. donghyuck's pretty sure that it's all mark's fault, he just doesn't know how the older did it, but being a sex demon doesn't sound too far-fetched. “i just don’t get why i am like this.”

renjun closes his book with a thud, startling him.

“i might be stepping over a line here,” there's a pause in which renjun seems to be choosing his next words carefully before he speaks, "but you know there's another very plausible explanation for what’s happening to you, do you?"

no.

“i don’t like him,” donghyuck says a bit too fast.

“donghyuck, it would be okay if you did. besides i think mark might-”

“i said i don’t like mark,” donghyuck interrupts him, his voice going higher with an anxious tone attached to it. it renders renjun speechless immediately, a confused expression on his face, and donghyuck almost feels bad for it, but the turmoil of emotions inside his head and the weight of a feeling that he doesn’t want to acknowledge pressing down his chest don’t leave room for any kind of regret. “please don’t ever bring it up again, please.”

“okay,” renjun speaks, softly, “i’m sorry.”

“it’s fine,” donghyuck says.

his previous words are heavy on his tongue, and they also taste bitter when they go down his throat.

。。。

it’s a close game, but they win.

changbin saves the rebound and mark sets the ball perfectly for jeno to smash it down on the other side of the court. it’s match point, and everyone screams to celebrate their victory. everyone, but donghyuck. he goes back to the bench quickly, equally afraid of their coach yelling at him for all the mistakes donghyuck made and mark hugging him and telling him that it’s okay, we all have bad days.

donghyuck hates to admit it, but he was horrible today, he can play way better than what he did if only his mind had been on the court as well. either way the board shows the score, above his head, 3rd set 25-23, while he's taking off his kneepads and his hairband. 

donghyuck sits on the bench and reaches out into his bag to pull out a bottle of water that he practically swallows whole. he's lucky mark's busy talking to their coach because the volleyball captain always nags at him for drinking too much water too fast after a game, and because donghyuck doesn't feel like dealing with a hyped and sweaty mark lee trying to make him feel better right now. he grabs his things and basically makes a run for the locker room, but soon he realizes that he’s not going to be alone.

“aren’t you going to tell me what happened?” hyunjin asks.

donghyuck rolls his eyes at his teammate.

“i don’t know, what happened?” he shoots back.

"uh, let’s say you were distracted,” it's all hyunjin says as both of them start undressing. donghyuck knows hyunjin, their groups of friends are actually connected through the volleyball team so they’ve ended up in the same house party or club more than once, which is why his words surprise donghyuck. hyunjin might exaggerate things sometimes, but he’s not one to put down his teammates like this.

"well, we all have bad days.”

"yeah, but you kept looking at mark instead of the ball during the game."

donghyuck freezes. he would like to say something, fight back, to deny it even, but he can't because hyunjin isn't lying, donghyuck just hoped that no one else would notice how his eyes kept gravitating towards their captain. it's frustrating, really, the little self-control he suddenly has when it comes to mark lee. had donghyuck known that a stupid kiss would mess up his life like this and he wouldn't have agreed to the dare that night.

"did you two fight?" hyunjin asks him after taking donghyuck's silence as if he's pleading guilty.

"no," donghyuck answers quickly this time. the whole situation would be so much easier if they'd had a fight. "we didn't."

hyunjin's eyes narrow for a moment, and right when he seems like he’s going to speak again a scream cuts through the silence, and the rest of the team enters the room. donghyuck’s gaze falls on every single one of his teammates and friends until his heart skips a beat when he finds mark, who is already looking back. mark's face lights up, a genuine smile appearing on his face, and donghyuck's legs start shaking -it's because of the game, he tells himself, he's put a great amount of pressure on his legs during the span of the three consecutive sets so it's only natural that they're trembling like that.

then mark starts walking towards them and donghyuck panics. he grabs his towel and for some reason he also grabs hyunjin's arm, dragging him in the direction of one of the showers and closing the door after them really quickly. donghyuck doesn’t really think about what he’s done until he turns around and finds hyunjin -still wearing underwear, just like donghyuck, thank god- laughing at him.

“you know he’s going to find this super weird, right?”

“what’s weird about friends taking a shower together?” donghyuck asks trying to act as if everything’s normal although he keeps looking back, like he’s expecting mark to knock on the door and ask why the hell is he taking a shower with hwang hyunjin. but mark would never do that. “besides, mark always respects my choices, even when they’re bad.”

at that, hyunjin’s eyes go wide open.

"oh shit, of course," hyunjin laughs again, louder this time. "you two didn't fight, you slept together."

"what? no! are you du-" donghyuck half yells, stopping himself only when he remembers the scenario they happen to be in. once hyunjin stops laughing at him donghyuck looks at the middle blocker with a horrified expression. "what the fuck hyunjin, so we either fight or have sex? why are those the only two options?"

hyunjin stares at him for a couple of seconds that for donghyuck feel like a lifetime. why would hyunjin think that he and mark had sex? has mark said something about donghyuck that could make hyunjin entertain that possibility? and why does hyunjin find it all so fucking funny? it’s starting to irritate him a bit. there's too many questions that donghyuck wants to ask, but he keeps his mouth shut. in the end, hyunjin just shrugs and turns on the shower.

donghyuck hisses when the cold water grazes his skin.

"because it's you and mark," hyunjin ends up saying, as if that statement could explain everything. as if it was obvious, because it's donghyuck and mark they're talking about. best friends since highschool, still pretty close years later, in their second and third year of college. donghyuck sighs. could it be that it's so obvious that he can't see it? hyunjin looks almost like he pities donghyuck when he speaks again, "whatever it is, fix it before the next match. now pass me the shampoo, please."

。。。

it gets to a point where it becomes unbearable. 

donghyuck can't concentrate at all, whether it's studying for his exams, practicing for the next game or just lying on his bed trying to get some sleep, and god knows he desperately needs it. ever since the stupid party his mind has been overflown with thoughts about one person and one person only.

and he's tried to build his own walls around it, okay? donghyuck has looked for all the bad traits in mark for the past weeks. something to get him off this mark-high he's been on since the older kissed him. the thing is, mark's not perfect, and as his best friend donghyuck knows it better than anyone else. sometimes mark is so tired after practice that he goes straight to his dorm and sleeps over the sheets without taking a shower. he's also an overachiever, and donghyuck's had his fair amount of fights with him because he can't stand watching mark pushing himself to the limit, not in an unhealthy way at least. there’s the no brain-to-mouth filter situation and also, mark prays when he watches a horror movie, add that to the list of things why donghyuck shouldn't like him.

because _oh_ , there it is, he does like him.

denying it was getting really hard lately, so he might as well admit it to himself once and for all. it might not be ideal the fact that mark is sitting right beside him on donghyuck's bed trying to finish one of his papers as donghyuck is finally coming at peace with his feelings, but at the same time it is a scenario that suits them. here, in the familiarity of donghyuck’s room, with his and mark’s hoodies discarded on the floor, with some crumbs over the sheets because they were too lazy to move to the living room to eat earlier, with the streetlights casting their glow over the curtains and the passing cars making the lights look like they’re dancing.

it’s so easy, to like mark just like this.

donghyuck looks at mark from the corner of his eyes, and he takes his time staring at the other boy subtly, taking every little detail in, counting the moles on his face and his neck, the ones that donghyuck always knew were. mark's wearing grey joggers and an oversized shirt again, with the damn glasses that look so good on him, hair messy but pretty, falling a little bit all over the place and suddenly donghyuck feels the need to run his finger through it. that way donghyuck could slide his hands from mark's hair to his cheeks, and then he could cup his face gently and close the distance between them like he's been wanting to do since the party.

he really, _really_ wants to kiss mark again.

before mark can catch him staring donghyuck tears his eyes from him and looks back at his phone. he exits the game and opens renjun's chat where he quickly types his thoughts. renjun knows mark was coming to donghyuck's dorm to study, so the situation doesn't need any preface.

_[09:35pm] been wanting to kiss him all afternoon._

_[09:35pm] you were right. i really like him._

donghyuck tosses the phone as soon as he presses "send". one thing is finally admitting to himself that he likes mark, a silence confession made in his head, and another thing is actually writing it on a text message and sending it to one of his closest friends who's probably going to call donghyuck later in order to receive some explanation. the whole thing is going to be disappointing, though. 

there isn’t a big story to tell, no life and death situation, no sudden realization as the other is about to embark on a flight, no last minute confession by the beach as the summer comes to an end and their paths diverge. time doesn’t stop and the earth keeps spinning, it’s just him and mark, mark and him, like it always has been.

"donghyuck?" mark calls him out of a sudden.

"yeah?"

"i think you sent me a message by mistake."

donghyuck frowns and looks at his phone, screen pressed down to the blue sheets where he had thrown it earlier. he picks it up and unlocks it so he can show mark that he didn't send him anything, but when he opens his messages he sees mark's chat at the top instead of renjun's, the "you were right. i really like him" line under mark's name with two blue ticks, meaning the message has been read.

oh, _no_.

"fuck," he mutters under his breath, feeling very sick all of a sudden.

"donghyuck," mark calls him again, and donghyuck wonders how his name can still sound the same coming from mark's lips even though everything might change forever in the next few seconds.

donghyuck can feel mark's eyes on him but he refuses to look at the other boy so his gaze wanders around his own room, not really focusing into anything. he notices that his breathing has become a bit erratic, and that there's a weight on his chest that's pinning him down on the bed when the only thing that he wants to do is get up and running away from the friendship that he's probably just destroyed, or at least damaged pretty badly.

"i’m guessing you didn’t want me to know?" mark asks, and he sounds undeniably sad for some reason. he places one of his hands over the matress between them, almost like he wants to touch donghyuck, put his hand over donghyuck's thigh like he's done countless times. “donghyuck, hey. you can talk to me.”

it’s the fondness attached to mark’s voice what makes donghyuck want to cry, because of course mark doesn't hate him. it doesn't even seem like he's mad at donghyuck for hiding his feelings, nor disgusted by the fact that donghyuck admitted in the text message that he spent the whole afternoon thinking about kissing him. mark is so, so good to him, donghyuck doesn't think he deserves him, yet he's always been a bit selfish and he still wants mark for himself, he doesn't want to lose what they've built over some feelings that he wasn't aware existed until some weeks ago. donghyuck wants mark even if it’s as just friends, especially like that, cause that's what they've always known and he wants mark laughing hysterically at all of his jokes, mark's words of reassurance when he decides to try something new, and he wants mark to tell him that he's proud of him after no matter the results. donghyuck also wants mark to hug him first when they win a game, or to hold his hand in silence on the ride back home if they're not so lucky.

"please don't stop being my friend," donghyuck half begs, his voice coming out in a whisper.

"why would i?" comes mark’s voice, confusing donghyuck with his question.

"you read the message.”

“i think that’s hardly a reason to stop being friends,” mark says, laughing a bit at the end but donghyuck can tell it’s just because the other boy is nervous. “i mean, yeah, i guess i wish you would’ve told me earlier, but at the end of the day it’s your life, donghyuck, so i’m not mad.”

donghyuck lets out a sigh he didn’t know he was holding. his heart finds a normal rhythm again -this could have been a turning point for them, but it looks like it won’t be. if mark is willing to keep being friends then donghyuck is confident that he can overcome his feelings, no matter how deep-rooted they are. he can do it. no, he _will_ do it, for his friendship with mark.

“for real?” he asks, just because it doesn't hurt to be reassured one last time. “mark, you can’t lie to me. is it really okay? don’t you feel, i don’t know, uncomfortable?”

“why would i feel uncomfortable? i told you, i’m okay with it,” mark smiles, although his eyes tell a different story as they move from donghyuck's face to his own hands. mark's taking his phone case on and off, playing with it, bending it carefully so he doesn't break it, an habit donghyuck knows mark pulls off when he's overthinking. 

“you know you’re still my best friend, right?” donghyuck says in an attempt to get rid of mark’s uneasiness. “this doesn’t change any of that. i will keep teasing you, lee.”

“i know. i will _let you_ keep teasing me. and i want you to know that i’m glad, for all of this,” mark gestures between the two of them. “i’m glad you’re my best friend.”

donghyuck nods. nothing else could make him so incredibly happy -yet a little bit sad at the same time. it’s like when a storm ends, and you welcome the sun but miss the rain, the two different kinds of yearning melting over your chest, creating a feeling that has no name.

the sky knows it’ll be alright despite the echoes of thunder. donghyuck does too.

“okay, let’s not talk about feelings ever again. are you staying for dinner? i thought we could order pizza.”

“sure, pizza sounds good,” mark nods, and he’s looking sheepishly at donghyuck immediately after. “i know you just said no more talking about feelings, but since it all happened right in front of my face without me noticing, i kind of want to know? you don't have to tell me everything. just, like- how long?”

donghyuck blinks repeatedly.

“how long what?”

“these feelings. when did you realize you had them?”

"oh," good question. completely unexpected, but good nevertheless. donghyuck could try and think of an answer, but first he ought to ask himself: is it something that he's willing to share with mark? it's strange enough that the other boy is asking, and by the way mark keeps side eyeing donghyuck it's obvious that he expects a reply. so, okay, how long has donghyuck had those feelings towards his best friend? technically, he figured it all out five minutes ago, but he can't say that. donghyuck also can't say that he's liked mark since they became friends, not because it's not true but because of how overwhelming that statement is. donghyuck needs to come to terms with it first. however, he knows what exactly set all of this into motion. “well, i think i realized at the party, at chan’s? you know that day uh, after we kissed.”

“oh. i didn’t know you kissed someone else that day.”

“what? i didn’t.”

“you just said you realized you liked hyunjin after kissing him that day.”

hyunjin? 

what does hyunjin have to do with donghyuck’s feelings for mark? donghyuck’s certain he’s never kissed hwang hyunjin, he wasn’t even lucky enough to peck the other boy during one of the stupid games at chan’s party -donghyuck is not blind, hwang hyunjin is really pretty and he has very kissable lips, so whoever has the privilege of kissing him should be called lucky-, so what on earth is mark talking about right now?

_wait,_

“hyunjin? i didn’t kiss hyunjin at the party. i was with you all the time, why would you think-” donghyuck stops talking. 

_wait a second._

“but the other day in the locker room? i thought- i don’t know,” mark frowns, “wait, if you weren’t talking about hyunjin this whole time then who is it?”

mark’s eyes are wide open with galaxies dancing in them as he stares at donghyuck, and he looks so lost, so confused, that donghyuck can’t choose between laughing or crying since somehow neither of those options make sense anymore. he’s not up against a storm, donghyuck realizes, it’s just some drizzle, and donghyuck isn't as scared as he was ten minutes ago, because even though mark thought that he was talking about someone else, the fondness in mark’s voice when he said he’s glad that donghyuck is his best friend still resonates within the bedroom’s walls.

and donghyuck, well, he loves the sun, but he doesn’t mind the rain. mark always carries an umbrella with him anyways.

“mark,”

he’s already looking at donghyuck.

“yes?”

“you are the only person i kissed that day.”

mark doesn’t even move at first, realization settling in slowly like spring.

then, softly “ _oh._ ”

donghyuck chuckles.

“yeah, _oh_.”

to be honest, donghyuck’s already anticipating different emotions from mark: astonishment, fear, shock, recognition, understandment, hopefully acceptance. however, he’s not prepared for the way mark’s eyes light up, always so big, always glowing, and he’s not prepared either for the smile that finds its way into mark’s face, illuminating the whole room, the mole on his left cheek sticking out, asking to be kissed.

mark lets out a mix between a sigh and a laugh, which throws donghyuck completely off. he isn’t ready for mark to look _relieved_ , nor the words that follow.

“do it, then.”

“what?”

it’s crazy.

“in the text, you said you’ve been wanting to kiss me all afternoon. well, do it.”

“mark-”

or maybe not.

“i dare you to.”

donghyuck’s heart skips a beat.

_mark, i dare you to kiss someone in this room,_ jaemin had said. _someone_ , not donghyuck. just someone in the room, and mark could have kissed anyone. he could have kissed yena, who looked beautiful with his hair up in a ponytail and sure wouldn’t mind kissing mark again for a game after their summer fling. he could have kissed chaewon, who donghyuck remembers mark had mentioned once how pretty she was. he could have kissed jaemin as revenge for choosing that dare for him, or he could have kissed minho who had been probably the hottest guy in the room.

yet mark didn’t get to kiss any of those people, and when he shifted on the armchair to look at donghyuck with big, glassy eyes, donghyuck thought mark was picking him because it was easy. two best friends kissing for a game, no hard feelings, no need for explanations, no rumours the next day.

_“can i kiss you?”_ mark had asked, and donghyuck had nodded. _“are you really okay with this?”_ mark had insisted, already halfway leaning in. as an answer, donghyuck had closed his eyes.

this time, donghyuck doesn’t close his eyes so early, because he doesn’t want to miss the way mark’s gaze keeps shifting between his eyes and his lips as he scoots closer to him on the bed. donghyuck brings one of his hands to mark’s face, cupping his cheek, and when mark leans into his touch and lets out a shaky breath, donghyuck understand **s** that mark didn’t kiss him that night because it was easy.

this time donghyuck kisses him surely, warmth blooming all over them as their lips meet, giggles lost amidst their tongues licking into each other’s mouths, a sweet feeling of wanting more, more, and more. a moan escapes donghyuck’s throat when mark drags donghyuck’s lower lip with his teeth only to lick it better right after, and donghyuck doesn’t waste any time in getting back at him by leaving a trail of kisses from mark’s lips to his neck, staying in the same spot for a while and sucking hard enough to bruise.

it does the trick, because mark groans and immediately shifts and covers his face so donghyuck can’t keep on kissing him. mark’s ears are painted a deep red, and he’s trying to catch his breathe but fails as he can’t help but laugh when donghyuck’s eyes find his once he moves his hands from his face.

donghyuck’s cheeks hurt from smiling.

“oh by the way,” mark giggles, “i like you too. in case that wasn’t- you know, uh..”

it starts with mark kissing him.

“it was clear, mark. very clear,” donghyuck laughs, and he pushes the other boy down to lie on the bed. he gets on him, straddling mark's hips, and follows the way back to his lips once again.

it ends, but not really, with donghyuck kissing mark.

**Author's Note:**

> oh they're so dumb
> 
> thank you for reading it! yall can find me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/skzhaes) or [cc](https://curiouscat.me/hyuckly) and i'll really appreciate it if you leave kudos and some comments! thank you again ~ ( ˘ ³˘)♡
> 
> pd: skz is coming back in two weeks make sure to check their new song!


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